Rock Bottom--or a Solid Foundation to Rebuild Your Life?

It has been a tough couple of years for me personally.  It literally seemed that every single time I thought that things couldn't possibly get worse--they did.  Sometimes things became A LOT worse.  That downward spiral, for me, began in the fall of 2018. My health landed me in critical care in the hospital.  My marriage was on the rocks. My husband's company closed his division--leaving him unemployed unexpectedly. My daughters were all facing personal, physical and health challenges that affected so many areas of my own life.

I thought I hit rock bottom SO many times during 2018 and 2019! 

Then.  

Along Came 2020.  

January was tiring.  My father-in-law nearly died a few days before Christmas in 2019.  He spent most of January in the intensive care units of a hospital a couple of hours drive away from us.  My husband made many drives to the hospital over that month.

In February, my mother passed away.  My father-in-law passed away as well.  On the same day.  

Let that sink in for a moment!  

My husband and I each lost a parent on the same day--within hours of each other. 

 My daughters lost two grandparents on the same day.  

Grief is a crazy thing.  It was a tough time.  

We all thought that we had hit rock bottom.

Then.

Along Came COVID-19.

In March, everything stopped/changed/transformed into a new isolated state of normal.

April felt like a bad, dystopian movie.  

My husband kept his job--but, his commissions were certainly challenged.

I own my business.  My clients, many international ones, disappeared for most of the month.  

My 8th grade daughter lost all of her activities immediately.  Club soccer stopped.  Acting classes and auditions stopped.  Her class Washington D.C. trip cancelled.  She was chosen to represent at the Ohio Model UN Conference--and it was cancelled.  The gifted camp that she was accepted to was cancelled.  The classes that she worked so hard to earn A's moved online and became pass/fail graded.  The library where she volunteered as a tutor for ESL students closed.  She is isolated from her best friends and teachers and coaches.

My 11th grade daughter lost all of her activities immediately.  Her track season stopped.  Modeling and acting auditions dried up.  She takes classes at Ohio State University.  Those classes moved online and the workload quadrupled.  Her hours at her part time job were reduced to a few hours per week.  The HOSA state competition that she qualified for with a presentation was cancelled.  National Honor Society events and Global Scholar events were cancelled.  Prom was cancelled.  Graduation was cancelled as we know it for so many of her friends.  She spent most days working on classwork--with only virtual contact with friends and her boyfriend.

 So far, 2020 has hit hard--with a lot of punches!

But.

Instead of seeing this new low as a life delaying, rock-bottom pit to dwell in--we have to see this as a temporary place.  This is an opportunity.  

An opportunity to reflect.  An opportunity to plan.  An opportunity to change.

This may be rock bottom--but, it is a great place to lay a new foundation and rebuild your life.

Piece by Piece.

Remember--